“Americans don’t understand how insanely expensive it is to live in the U.S.,” Bobby said on my podcast. He sold everything he owned and left the country in 2009. Right after the market crashed. Now he works all over the world.

I saw myself the way everyone else did. I was not Indonesian. I was born and raised in Jakarta but growing up, I had subconsciously shunned every single aspect of my country’s culture and history in favor of America’s. I became an honorary American without realizing it.

It’s an all-too-typical scene for me: I walk up to the cashier at Manning’s and greet the cashier with a casual “你好.” Perhaps this is my giveaway – Chinese culture tends to be light on unnecessary formalities.